Home wastewater treatment is an economical option for homes that are located in areas without access to a city sewage system, or where the costs of hooking a home into a city sewage system are prohibitive. Home wastewater treatment systems perform similar functions as a sewage plant, but on a much smaller scale. These systems are typically located underground near the home. After the wastewater has been treated it is typically discharged on the property. It is essential that the wastewater is cleansed sufficiently so that the discharged water does not pose a threat to the environment.
Many home wastewater treatment systems rely on an aerated chamber to help clean the water. Home wastewater naturally contains bacteria which work to digest the waste. Adding air to the wastewater in the aeration chamber causes more oxygen to dissolve in the water. This increased concentration of oxygen allows the bacteria to grow and multiply more rapidly, which in turn allows for the bacteria to break down waste more rapidly, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. The benefit of using bacteria is that it reduces the need to use chemicals for treatment; eliminating chemicals saves money and is better for the environment. The drawback of using bacteria is that releasing high concentrations of bacteria can be detrimental to the environment.
One common way of killing the bacteria is to build a chlorination unit into the treatment system. Adding chlorine to the water before it is discharged serves to kill much of the bacteria. Unfortunately, chlorine is also harmful to the environment.
A better method of killing the bacteria is to expose the discharge water to ultraviolet light. When bacteria and other microorganisms are exposed to UV light, they are effectively killed thereby preventing harm to the environment. Further, UV light does not add any harmful chemicals or additives to the water, being an environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine.
Currently, some home wastewater treatment systems utilize UV disinfection devices. These systems have several limitations. The biggest shortfall is that the UV system is an add-on buried outside the main treatment tank at or near the discharge outlet. Exposure to moisture can lead to UV system failure. Locating the UV system outside the tank can increase failure rates and increase installation and maintenance costs.
The present treatment system overcomes the afore-stated problems by locating the UV system within the main wastewater treatment tank. In this configuration: bacteria are neutralized without adding chemicals, the UV system is protected, UV system failure rate is reduced, installation costs are lowered, and maintenance is simplified.